LAKE CHARLES—Fresh off its Southland Conference opening 66-57 road win at Incarnate Word Thursday night, McNeese women's basketball returns home for what is left of its holiday break for four straight games beginning with its 1 p.m. SLC home opener against Northwestern State Saturday at Burton Coliseum.
 
Both teams enter the game with identical 5-7 overall records but the Cowgirls (1-0 SLC) will look to build on its victory from Thursday. Northwestern State (0-1 SLC) will set out to pick up its first conference win of the season after falling 79-63 to Nicholls at home Thursday.
 
For the Cowgirls, it will be nice to be home for a few games since five of the last six including the last four have been on the road. The last home game for the Cowgirls was an 84-46 win against Louisiana College on Dec. 11.
 
Northwestern State commands the all-time series record 56-27 but McNeese has won seven of the last eight games between the two teams including two wins over the Lady Demons last season. The Cowgirls picked up a 68-63 win in Natchitoches and a 68-52 win in Lake Charles.
 
A trio of Cowgirls head into the contest averaging in double figures with senior Keara Hudnall leading the way with 11.3 ppg. Sophomore point guard Caitlin Davis who is coming off an 18 point game in the win over UIW, is averaging 11.1 ppg. and ranks second in the league with 5.5 apg. Senior Dede Sheppard comes in with a 10.2 average.
 
The rebounding category is led by senior Jasmyn Carswell and redshirt freshman Bre'Ashlee Jones. Carswell is pulling down a team high 6.5 rpg. and Jones is averaging 6.2 per game.
 
The Lady Demons are led on offense by Cheyenne Brown's 13.5 ppg. and 4.2 rpg. Libba Gilliam is averaging 9.2 ppg. and is shooting 38.5 percent from behind the arc, having made 10 of 26 attempts.